Holiday Entitlement — Right to Vacation

How much vacation do you get?

Statutory minimum: 24 working days (6-day week) = 20 days for a 5-day week.

Typical in contracts: 25-30 days.

How to calculate?

When can you take vacation?

• After 6 months of employment you have full entitlement
• During first 6 months: 1/12 of vacation for each month worked

Resturlaub — unused vacation

• You must use it by March 31st of the following year
• Your employer MUST remind you about your vacation
• If they didn't remind you — your vacation doesn't expire!

Vacation and illness

Got sick during vacation?
- Get a sick leave certificate (Krankschreibung)
- Sick days do NOT count as vacation
- You get these days back!

Vacation when leaving employment

• Leaving in first half of year: prorated
• Leaving in second half: full vacation
• Unused = compensation payout

Paid or unpaid vacation?

Erholungsurlaub = paid (you get your normal salary)

Unbezahlter Urlaub = unpaid (e.g., extended vacation) — requires employer consent

Special days off (not vacation):

• Wedding: 1-2 days
• Birth of child: 1 day
• Death of relative: 1-2 days
• Moving: sometimes 1 day

(Depends on Tarifvertrag or contract)